City of the Future: Two Legs Good, Four Wheels Bad

Once dubbed the "lungs of the city," highways are becoming perhaps less essential. From Seattle to Seoul, pedestrianization is gaining traction on both the domestic and international fronts.

1 minute read

June 24, 2011, 12:00 PM PDT

By Jeff Jamawat

According to The Architect's Newspaper, "[t]oday's urban thinking puts pedestrians before cars."

Katherine Fung writes, "Half a century after the height of urban renewal, a national movement is set to try a new road to urban growth, reintegrating communities through dismantling the highways."

"As the National Interstate Highway turns 55 this month, many highways are reaching the end of their design lives. Cities now face the option of investing billions in maintenance or getting rid of them altogether," she continues.

In her article, Fung talks with NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan: "We're looking for ways to reconsider highways to maximize their highest and best uses in light of today's intensely urban settings, which are different from uses in earlier parts of the 20th century."

FULL STORY: Go Down, Moses

Thursday, June 23, 2011 in The Architect's Newspaper

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